Abrading device



y 7, 1968 A. c. EISBRENNER 3,331,418

ABRADING DEVICE Filed May 10, 1965 E 57 T I \I I 5 a 22 l N VENTOR,

ARTHUR Q E ISBR'E/VNER BY Macaw, M aj 61117:.

United States Patent 3,381,418 ABRADING DEVICE Arthur C. Eisbrenner, 711 Walrath Circle,

Ashtabula, Ohio 44004 Filed May 10, 1965, Ser. No. 454,420 3 Claims. (Cl. 51-170) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An abrading device comprising a rubber arbor member being generally shaped as the frustrum of a cone and having recesses in either end. A shaft is molded to the arbor member and extends axially therethrough. One end of the shaft is adapted to be driven by a power device such as an electric drill. The other end of the shaft is adapted to be received in the bearings of a control handle in one of the recesses. The handle has a portion holdable by an operator and preferably extending 90 degrees to the portion which holds the bearings. An abrading member shaped to fit the arbor member normally resides thereon.

The present invention relates in general to an abrading device and more particularly to such a device which can be held at both ends of a rotating arbor.

An object of the present invention is to provide an abrading device which includes an arbor with an axially extending spindle driven at one end by a power device, with the other end of the spindle cooperable with a control handle which can be quickly and conveniently connected to the spindle or disconnected therefrom.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved arbor for an abrading device which does away with a large part of the bounce found in prior devices.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an arbor for an abrading device which has both axial ends recessed to provide a built-in flexing quality for the device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an abrading device with a control handle which cooperates with the end of the drive shaft opposite the end which is driven, which control handle has a gripping portion which extends generally transverse to the extent of the shaft axis.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an abrading device which includes an arbor-control handle combination wherein the arbor is recessed to receive the end of the control handle to keep the axial length of the abrading device to a minimum.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drive shaft for an abrading device which drive shaft is polygonal in cross section where it engages the arbor and which is circular in cross section to be received in the bearing of a control handle which cooperates with an end of the shaft opposite the end from which it is driven.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of this invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view partially in section showing the abrading device of the present invention driven by means of an electric drill;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view taken generally along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

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FIGURE 3 is a view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view taken the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

The abrading device of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and as will be seen in the drawings, includes in combination a drive shaft 12, sometimes referred to as an operating shaft or spindle, which has first and second end portions and an intermediate portion 14, 15 and 16, respectively. The first end portion 14 and the intermediate portion 16 are hexagonal in cross section and the second end portion 15 is circular in cross section.

A resiliently elastic arbor member 18, preferably constructed of neoprene rubber, is provided which has first and second end portions 20 and 21, respectively, and an intermediate portion 22. The arbor member 18 has an outer surface 24 which defines at least a portion of the surface of a cone or might be said to describe the frustrum of a cone. The intermediate portion 22 of the arbor member, as seen particularly in FIGURE 1, is of a solid construction and wall means 26 and 27, respectively, define axially extending (slightly tapered) recesses in the first and second end portions 20 and 21 of the arbor member. The drive shaft 12 extends axially through the arbor member with the intermediate portion 22 of the arbor member being molded about the hexagonal intermediate portion 16 of the drive shaft. This construction is advantageous in that it assures there will be no rotational slippage between the drive shaft and the arbor member. The first hexagonal end portion 14 of the drive shaft is adapted to be received in the chuck 30 of a motive power source which in this particular instance is an electric drill 31, and this serves to rotate the arbor member by way of the drive shaft. It will be noted that the hexagonal shape of the shaft is highly desirable, since each side is spaced 60 degrees from the next adjacent side whereby the three gripping fingers of the chuck (spaced 120 degrees apart) engage every other side of the hexagonal shape.

A conically shaped abrading member 34 is adapted to reside on the outer surface 24 of the arbor member and performs the function of carrying the abrading material which performs the abrading operation upon a work member. The abrading member is conically shaped in the sense that the inside surface of the abrading member which engages the outer surface 24 describes the 'frustrum of a cone which is quite close to the frustrum of the cone described by the outer surface 24. The taper on the abrading member 34 is slightly greater than the taper on the outer surface 24, thus insuring that the abrading member is snugly carried by the arbor member in operation. As will be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, the abrading member 34 extends over the second end portion 21 of the arbor member a slight amount. This enables the abrading device to be advantageously utilized in abrading small radiused corners and edges.

A control handle 37 is provided for cooperating with the second end portion 15 of the drive shaft, or the right end as seen in FIGURES 1 and 2. The control handle comprises a tubular member having first and second end portions 39 and 40, respectively, and these end portions are positioned substantially degrees apart by means of a curved portion 42. This curved portion interconnects the end portions together. The first end portion 39 is provided with a rubber hand grip 43 which may be conveniently utilized by an operator of the device. First and generally along second spaced bearings 4-5 and 46 are located in the second end portion of the tubular member and are ma ntained in position by means of a reduction in the tube slze indicated at 49 and a rolling over of the extreme second end portion as at 51. The bearings are maintained in spaced relationship to each other by means of a spacer 54. The inner races of the bearings and 46 are provided with the conventional openings 57 and these openings are in axial alignment with each other. When the operating handle is being used, it occupies the position shown in FIGURES l and 2, and in this position the second circular end portion 15 of the drive shaft 12. resides Within the openings 57 of the inner races of the first and second bearings 45 and 46. The second end portion 40 of the control handle resides within the recess 27 spaced a small distance therefrom. The juncture or shoulder 60 between the hexagonally shaped intermediate portion 16 and the circular second end portion 15 of the drive shaft serves to limit movement of the drive shaft into the second end portion of the tubular member which, of course, is accomplished by means of the juncture 60 being engageable with the inner race of the bearing 45. The handle is quickly and conveniently assembled and disassembled by simply pushing the second end portion 40 onto the shaft or pulling it therefrom since there are no screws or other attaching means holding the control handle in a permanent manner to the drive shaft.

The operation and use of the device will be apparent from the description given hereinabove, however, it might be pointed out that in order to utilize the device, all that need be done is to place the abrading member 34 on the outer surface 24 of the arbor member and place the first end portion 14 of the drive shaft in the chuck 30. The second end portion 40 of the control handle is simply slipped on the second end portion 15 of the drive shaft and the electric drill 31 or other motive power source is actuated and the abrading member brought into contact with a workpiece. It will be seen that the first end portion 39 of the control handle is disposed in a position to conveniently urge the abrading device into engagement with a workpiece in a direction generally normal to the extent of the drive shaft 12. In extremely hard to get at places, the control handle can be Withdrawn by simply pulling it off the second end portion of the drive shaft. The construction of the tapered arbor member with the recesses 26 and 27 in either end thereof provides an elastically flexible member which does away with much of the objectionable bounce encountered by prior art devices. The construction of the drive shaft securely holds the arbor member and the drive shaft together and also enables the drive shaft to be securely chucked in the driving device. The construction of the drive shaft at the second end portion also provides a convenient construction for limiting the movement of the drive shaft into the tubular member or the tubular member onto the drive shaft.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. An abrading device including in combination a drive shaft having first and second end portions and an intermediate portion, said first end and intermediate portions being hexagonal in cross section and said second end portion being circular in cross section, a rubber arbor memher having first and second end portions and an intermediate portion, said arbor member having an outer surface which defines at least a portion of the surface of a cone, said intermediate portion of said arbor member being of a solid construction and wall means defining 4 axially extending recesses in each said first and second end portions of said arbor member, said drive shaft extending axially through said arbor member with said intermediate portion of said arbor member being molded about said hexagonal intermediate portion of said drive shaft, said first hexagonal portion of said drive shaft adapted to be received in the chuck of a driving member to rotate same along with said arbor member, a conically shaped abrading member residing on said outer surface of said arbor member with one end thereof extending beyond said second end portion of said arbor member, said abrading member having a slightly greater taper than said arbor member, a control handle comprisin a tubular member having first and second end portions located substantially degrees apart by means of a curved portion which interconnects said end portions, said first end portion having a hand grip for an operation of the device, first and second spaced bearings located in said second end portion of said control handle, a spacer between said bearings for keeping them in said spaced condition and with the openings in said hearings in alignment with each other, said second circular portion of said drive shaft rotatably residing within the openings of said first and second bearings with the outside of said second end portion of said tubular member being spaced from the Wall of said recess in said second end portion of said arbor member, said intermediate hexagonal portion of said drive shaft being engageable with said first bearing to limit movementt of said drive shaft into said second end portion of said tubular member, said control handle being assembled by placing said second circular portion of Said drive shaft in said first and second bearings.

2. An abrading device including in combination a drive shaft having first and second end portions and an intermediate portion, a rubber arbor member having first and second end portions and an intermediate portion, said arbor having an outer surface which defines at least a portion of the surface of a cone, said intermediate portion of said arbor member being of a solid construction and wall means defining axially extending recesses in each said first and second end portions thereof, said drive shaft extending axially through said arbor member with said intermediate portion of said arbor member being molded about said intermediate portion of said drive shaft, said first end portion of said drive shaft adapted to be connected to a driving member to rotate same along with said arbor member, an abrading member residing on said outer surface of said arbor member with one end thereof extending beyond said second end portion of said arbor member, a control handle comprising first and second end portions located substantially 90 degrees apart by means of a curved portion which interconnects said end portions, said first end portion having a hand grip for an operator of the device, first and second spaced bearings located in said second end portion of said control handle, a spacer between said bearings keeping same in said spaced condition, said second end portion of said drive shaft rotatably residing within said first and second bearings with the outside of said second end portion of said control handle being spaced from the wall of said recess in said second end portion of said arbor member, means cooperating with said shaft to limit movement of said shaft into said second end portion of said control handle, said control handle being assembled by placing said second end portion of said shaft in said first and second bearings.

3. An abrading device including in combination a drive shaft having first and second end portions and an intermediate portion, a resilient arbor member having first and second end portions and an intermediate portion, said arbor member having an outer surface which defines at least a portion of the surface of a cone, wall means defining axially extending recesses in each said first and second end portions of said arbor member, said drive shaft extending axially through said arbor member and secured thereto, said first end portion of said drive shaft adapted to be driven by a driving member to rotate same and said arbor member, an abrading member residing on said outer surface of said arbor member, a control handle having first and second end portions located substantially 90 degrees apart by means of a portion which interconnects said end portions, said first end portion being engageable by an operator of the device, bearing means located in said second end portion of said control handle, said second end portion of said drive shaft rotatably residing within said bearing means with the outside of said second end portion of said control handle being spaced from the wall of said recess in said second end. portion of said arbor member, said control handle being assembled by placing said second end portion of said drive shaft in said bearing means.

References (Iited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,535,611 4/1925 Le Roux 51-72 1,646,852 10/1927 Carnowsky et al. ..i 51-72 2,853,838 9/1958 Richards 51170 LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner. 

